Device foe trimming reeds oe musical ihstrtimeuts



Aug. 6, 1929. J. H. BEARD DEVICE FOR TRIMMING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS Filed Aug. 27, 1927 JOSEPH H. BEARD.

INVENTOR BY Skw,

A RNEY Patented Aug. 6, i229.

lay/rm JOSEPH I-I. BEARD, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR TBIMMING REEDS OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed August 27, 1927.

cracked or notched during use. while it is possible to restore the tip of the reed to its previous condition by trimming with an edged tool such as a penkmfe, it is extremely difficult for the average user to so trim the reed.

Either the shape of the reeds tip is altered so as to interfere with its re-use in playing, or a much too. large portion is trimmed from the tip,,resulting in the rapid shortening of the reed to the point where it can no longer be secured upon the instrument, or

both, occur when reeds are trimmed by unskilled operators, An-object of my invention is to provide an instrument for trimming the thin tips of reeds that can be, read ily used by unskilled operators, and whereby the desired shape of the reeds tip may be accurately maintained. Also my instrumentpermits-the paring of a very minute portion from the edge of the reeds tip and permits the operator to see at all times just how muchis being trimmed from the reed.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein similar reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved trimming device with a reed in position for the trimming operation.

Figure 2 is a central longitudinal section therethrough, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, showing the position assumed by the reed and trimming device after the desired por tien been. from. the res ll Serial No. 215,795.

Referring now to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates a plate forming the, body of my improved trimming device and formed adjacent one extremity with a curved slit 6 and an integral cutter member 7 shaped to accurately tit into the curved slit 6 but severed from the plate 5 on all but one side (note Figure 2). The plate 5 is preferably formed of metal, as for example, spring brass or steel; and the adjacent edges of the cutter 7 and slit 6 are formed so as to closely ali n with each other when the cutter memher is in the plane of the plate 5 during the cutting operation (note Figure The ends of the plate beyond the unsevered side of the cutter member is normally bent upwardly, substantially as shown in Figure 2, the cutter member remaining in the plane of the center of the plate. The size of the plate 5 is such that it will conveniently fit in a vest pocket, purse or the like, and is preferably made but slightly longer than the usual length of reeds used on musical instruments. To aid in forming the cutter member 7 and slit 6, I preferably provide a pair of apertures 8 in the plate 5 at the extremities of the slit and comparatively close to the side edges of the plate, the end of the plate beyond the aperture being thereby provided with a hinge, or portion on which it flexes, of lesser width than that of the cutter member.

In use the reed to be trimmed, as 9, is arranged with its under side resting upon the upper surface of the plate 5 and with its thin tip extending through the slit 6 into contact with the under side of the upwardly bent end of the plate 5, substantially as shown in Figures 1 and 2. The extent of thetips edge desired to be trimmed can be readily determined by sliding the reed back and forth upon the plate 5 until only the portion desired to be removed contacts with the under side of the plate. In this way a very minute slice can be taken from the tip of the reed, and the slice to be removed is at all times visible to the operator. While the cutter member 7 may be struck up from the plane of the plate 5, I preferably leave the cutter member in the plane of the body portion of the plate, and bend upwardly the end of the plate so that the end 'w ll of the a; a has "i A t by a the ordinary thickness of the reeds tip, and accordingly it is necessary to slightly spring upwardly the end of the plate in inserting the tip of the reed into the position shown in Figures 1 and 2. This results in giving a spring pressure upon the tip of the reed to aid in holding it during the aligning and cutting operations, and the body portion of the reed can be similarly held against the plate by a thumb or finger of the operator. To insure the accurate positioning of the reed within the slit 6 so that the cutting operation will give the desired shape to the tip after a portion has been removed therefrom, I preferably rovide a series of parallel lines upon t lie upper surface of the plate 5. The sides of the reeds used are ordinarily parallel and can be readily aligned with one or another set of the lines 10 according to the width of the reed to be trimmed. After the tip of the reed has been inserted into the slit 6 to the desired extent and the sides of the reed have been adjusted to bring them into parallelism with one or another set of lines 10, the desired portion is cut from the reed by pressing the end of the plate 5 from the position shown in Figure 2 to substantially the position shown in Figure 3. Or in other words, the end of'the plate 5 is pressed into re-alignment with the plane of the cutter member 7,

bringing the free edge of the cutter member 7 and the wall of the slit 6 into alignment,

shearing the portion below the end of the plate 5 from the remainder of the reed. It is to be understood that the shape of the slit 6, and particularly the intermediate portion thereof, is in accordance with the desired shape for the reeds tip.

lVhile it is possible to construct a slit 6 and cutter member 7 of suilicient width to trim practically all of the reeds ordinarily used upon musical instruments, I have found it diflicult, with a very wide cutter member,

, trimmed therein.

to retain the desired shape upon the tip of the comparatively narrow reeds when Accordingly I preferably provide a plurality of slits and cutter memhers for trimming the narrower reeds and comparatively wide reeds.

vice versa. In the illustrated embodiment of my invention I have shown a pair of slits and cutter members, the slit 6 and cutter member 7 beingarranged for comparatively narrow reeds while the slit 6 and cutter member 7 are arranged for trimming Moreover, the arrangement is such that the same set of parhand.

allel lines 10 may be utilized for aligning the sides of reeds to be trimmed by either cutter member 7 or 7 From the above it will be apparent that I have provided a trimming device of great simplicity, that may be readily used by unskilled operators to trim reeds of various widths to the desired shape, and whereby very minute portions may be trimmed from the tips of the reeds. Moreover, the entire device is of such size that it can be readily transported in the pocket or purse of an operator and the trimming operation can be performed at any place without the need of special tools other than my improved trimming device. I

While it will be apparent that the illustrated embodiment of my invention herein disclosed is well calculated to adequately fulfill the objects and advantages primarily stated, it is to be understood that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change within the spirit and scope of the subjoined claims.

hat I claim is:

1. In a device of the character described, a body plate of resilient metal having formed therein a curved slit and a pair of apertures at the extremities of the slit, an integral cutter member arranged with its free edges conforming to thewalls of said slit the end of the plate beyond the apertures being adapted to flex relatively to the cutter member on a line joining the said apertures, the end of the plate being bent to normally extend out of the plane of the center of the body plate, and a plurality of parallel guide lines arranged on the surface of the plate to facilitate accurate positioning Within the slit of the material to be cut.

2. In a device of the character described a body plate of resilient metal having formed therein a pair of curved slits of different widths adjacent the opposite ends of the body plate and a pair of apertures at the extremities of the slits, an integral cutter member arranged with its free edges conforming tothe walls of said slits, the ends of the body plate beyond said slits normally extending out of the plane of the cutter member, and a plurality of parallel lines arranged on the surface of the plate to facilitate accurate positioning of the material to be cut withineither of said slits.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my Josnrn n. BEARD. 

